The last time we checked, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and the BMW X7 were not direct rivals.
The former is a capable body-on-frame off-roader while the latter is a comfortable and roomy unibody SUV that can accommodate up to seven passengers. However, how many G-Class buyers will take their vehicles off the beaten track during ownership? Very few, as most of these boxy luxury SUVs will spend their entire lifetime on city streets.
Mercedes-Benz is clearly aware of that and has made the second-generation G-Class more comfortable and refined, as well as more luxurious. In theory, a customer could consider both of these SUVs for a purchase, even though the pricing is very different.
Also watch: BMW X7 Declared The World’s Best 3-Row Luxury SUV Bar None
The 2019 Mercedes-Benz G-Class starts at $124,500 (G550) while the X7 xDrive40i is priced from $73,900. Not even the range-topping X7 xDrive50i gets close to the Mercedes in terms of pricing, as it starts at $92,600.
So why does Throttle House compare these two vehicles then? Well, until the all-new GLS comes out (it won’t be long, as it’s scheduled to debut at the New York Auto Show tomorrow), the G550 is the closest flashy luxury SUV Mercedes can put up against the X7.
In the detailed video review, the hosts analyze the two massive SUVs’ exterior and interior styling, as well as how they are like to drive on the road. There’s no off-road comparison because that’s not the point of this review — and everyone knows the G-Class would demolish the X7. Instead, the review tries to find how similar these two luxury SUVs are to live with and how they fare on the road. After all, 99 percent of owners will probably never drive them on anything else than paved roads.